3 ms·

You mean, for small x, sin(x) ~= x? I've been thinking for a while and I can't see a way that it's like that

• ThrowawayTestr 3y ago
  Like if you zoom in on a circle close enough it looks like a straight line.
  • topaz0 3y ago
    This is basically it, yes, along with cos(x) = 1. If the axis of rotation is much further than the distance that you move through upon rotation, the angle of rotation is very close to zero, so the approximations are very good. In the limit that the axis of rotation is infinitely far away, it is exact.
  • hoseja 3y ago
    Coincidentally, a recent relevant XKCD: https://xkcd.com/2761/ https://xkcd.com/2761/